After a sustained unauthorized strike by New York State corrections officers, an agreement has been reached that is expected to see them return to work early tomorrow morning. The wildcat strike began on February 17, spreading across more than 25 correctional facilities. The striking personnel voiced alarms over safety and staff shortages, attributing these issues to the 2021 HALT Law, which restricts solitary confinement durations, as per Gothamist.
The new deal, as announced by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), will commence provided that at least 85% of staff return to their posts by 6:45 a.m. A change to overtime policy was a prominent feature in the deal, aiming to curtail the necessity for corrections officers to work grueling 24-hour shifts, a point of major contention among the striking workers.
Other elements of the reached agreement, noted by CBS New York, include a suspension of the HALT Act for 90 days, and the formation of a committee focused on identifying potential amendments to the legislation. This committee is to be tasked with analyzing staffing and operational inefficiencies, as well as working with a vendor to screen inmates’ mail for contraband substances…